Shark Jumps and Scandals: A Decade of Quality Preschooler Programming - Part I

This is my version of one of those “Decade In Review” lists. Yes, yes, I’ve only been a parent since 2004. But we’ve consumed so very much preschooler television in those six years, I think I’ve got at least one foot to stand on here. Besides, all the cool pop culture writers are doing it. Take a look, and feel free to add your own if you like!

Cast Changes, Derivatives, and Shark Jumps
It wouldn’t be television without them. Here are some of my favorites.

Blues Clues
Even before we had kids, I had a crush on Steve Burns. I remember being home sick from work one day, watching “Blue’s Clues” and sighing over that boyish charm, that dry humor, that striped shirt. But by the time The Boy was old enough to watch it, Steve had moved on to pursue his music career (sigh…) and Joe (Donovan Patton) was the new star.



To the show’s credit, they put together a wonderful 3-episode transition in which Steve’s younger brother Joe comes for a visit, learns the ropes, and agrees to take over when Steve leaves for college. It was everything a Very Special episode should be: honest, character-enhancing, relatable, and just the right amount of heart-warming. By the time Steve slings that backpack over his shoulder and heads through the cartoon door, even the most stoic viewer is ready to welcome Joe with open arms.

If only they’d left it at that instead of shark-jumping their way into the whole Blue-can-talk / magic key / mystical baby-brother quest / “Blue’s Room” meshugaas. But at least we still have a healthy dose of old-school Steve episodes, thanks to DVDs and re-runs.

The Wiggles
The costumes were low-budget, the song quality was variable, and sidekicks were super-cheesy and strangely-voiced. But somehow The Wiggles made it work. They were charismatic, clever, and just plain fun to watch. And some of the songs are pretty darn good.


I knew about them pre-parenthood, but I didn’t become a fan until the day we inexplicably decided that taking The Boy suit-shopping at Nordstrom with my visiting sister was a good idea. Luckily, the children’s department had the “Wiggle Time” video going. I watched in amazement as my toddler took his place among the romp-bomp-a-chomping big kids, who seemed to know every move to every dance routine (their parents must have been pretty busy shopping that day). I’d never seen him so delighted by music and dancing before. For the next year or so, Wiggles CDs and DVDs were a must at the library.

It’s only natural for TV producers to want to replicate success like that. Remember all those “Friends” wannabe shows they tried to cram down our throats in the 1990’s? The difference with children’s programming is, those pre-cynical little darlings are all too eager an audience. Thus begat Doodlebops, Imagination Movers, the freakin’ Fresh Beat Band, and probably a whole host of others I’ve already forgotten.

The Wiggles themselves are somewhat reinvented these days. Lead singer Greg Page retired in 2006 after being diagnosed with Orthostatic intolerance and was replaced with understudy Sam Moran. They’d lost their spot in the Playhouse Disney lineup by then, but they found a new home this year on PBS Kids Sprout. Their new show “Wiggly Waffle” is much the same as their old shows – videos scotch-taped together with flimsy skits and introductions. But I’m glad they’re still around.

Bob the Builder
“Bob the Builder” has endured a bit of reimagining, too. After years of crowd-pleasing episodes in which talking construction vehicles get stuck in the mud or do renovations for pointy-headed bureaucrat Mr. Bentley, it was time to kick things up a notch. A new series called “Project: Build It!” sent Bob, Wendy, and all their four-wheeled friends heading out to build a whole new environmentally sound community in Sunflower Valley. Bob was goin’ green!



To take the edge off of all those lessons about recycling and the many uses of organic sunflower oil, they added a new character: Scrambler the ATV. According to the show’s Web site, Scrambler loves off-roading and “speaks in a ‘streetwise’ style” – which is so eerily similar to the Poochie episode of “The Simpsons” that pointing out the reference feels almost redundant.


“Hey, kids, always recycle. TO THE EXTREME!”

Again, that sweet little audience never stood a chance. I think I’ve mentioned before that in the DVD commentary for that episode of “The Simpsons,” they talk about how kids love that Poochie character entirely at face value. It’s not like I’m anti-recycling or anything. But when the message is so formulaic to the point of self-parody . . . oh well, whatever works, I guess. The kids loved it, and it’s more socially relevant than painting Farmer Pickles’ house the wrong color.

And that’s about all the rambling we’ve got space for here. Follow the link to Part II to read about 00’s preschooler TV scandals if you dare. . .